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M10 - Coming to Terms
For all of the Kyogre’s destruction, there remains a single port that was untouched by damage, a single dock sticking out over open water, surrounded by floating debris that the clean-up crew had been unable to reach. Parked at this dock is a large ship, vivid steel blue sails limp in the gray dawn, and lines of Gāng Tiě soldiers (those who managed to survive the beast’s onslaught) march onto the ship, their mood markedly somber with some literally tucking their tails between their legs in shame. Their Emperor watches his troops’ progress in silence, reflecting upon all that had occurred here on this accursed island… good and bad alike… and his face is unreadable to any who dared to look his way. As the ship begins its final preparations for departure, Wei’s antennae twitch at the sound of footsteps behind him: Katsumi, Sho, Alaric, Gawain, Bál, Yagami, and (to his annoyance) Bon have arrived to see him off. The absence of a particular bug confirms something in Wei’s mind, and the Shiny Leavanny waits until the others reach his side before speaking, his voice measured and stiff. : Being stranded on your homeland has offered me time to think, Shōgun Katsumi. : (in an equally-guarded tone) What about, Emperor Wei-Guang? : I have made many decisions in my lifetime. Some have been wise… others, not… and this choice of mine in declaring war on all of Sazanami does not rank as one of my most shining moments. : (offering Katsumi a tiny bow) I should have handled the situation more diplomatically. In return for my actions, and as recompense for your hospitality towards myself and my men until our transportation could arrive, I shall offer you assistance if necessary in the rebuilding of your land by reopening trade between our nations. : I… We accept your assistance. : It is certainly appreciated in our time of need. : (nodding at Wei) Thank you for your support, Emperor. As Wei mirrors Sho’s nod, Alaric and Gawain exchange looks: seems like their ultimate goal of stopping the war between the two nations was fulfilled after all! But the king couldn’t help wondering if he could fix more issues… : And what of Chanyu? Do you plan on rectifying your conflicts with them as well? : Gāng Tiě’s and Chanyu’s bloodied history did not start with me, nor does the animosity towards them stem solely from my personal grudge… : (calming himself somewhat) That being said, in the circumstance of finding the traitorous Chanyu general, I shall put aside our differences and try to speak with the tribe leaders to coordinate our efforts. : You, meeting with the leaders? Calling it now, that will not go well. : Despite your lack of confidence, toad, my ultimate revenge bears more weight than any conflict of interest between myself and the Chanyu… : However, they will either give me the information they have gathered willingly, even hand over the traitor to me, or I shall have to acquire both through… “other” methods. : Force has gotten you nowhere during this escapade-- : Might I suggest you let a third party help with negotiations? : Are you offering yourselves yet again? I am positive that you are not neutral in this conflict either. : I believe the International Guild would be better suited to this task. : Yea, that can be arranged. I’ll contact some fittin’ candidates for such a task. : (holding up a paw before Wei can reply) How-EVER! Until the general-thing is sorted out, you cannot star’ another conflict wit’ Chanyu. After all, us buttin’ heads all the time is exactly what our enemy wants, an’ it will be hard for the guild to work between the two parties iffn you’re always battlin’. : This includes skirmishes on the bord’rs too. : (waving an arm lazily) Very well, you scruffian. I will move my men closer to the Gāng Tiě borders-- : However, in return for this act of goodwill, I demand that some of the people you send for negotiations are Sara and the three children. : (sighing) Oi, you royals an’ your deals… If you’re worried abou’ how neutral the third party is, you should already know that your “choice” is not. And while I’m not opposed to Sara goin’, those kids are not the best picks for such a delicate situation. : I am aware of that, which is why I shall offer my home to those three. They can stay in the palace while that Galvantula assists diplomatic measures between my nation and Chanyu. : I assumed that was your plan. They will likely not agree, especially without Sara, and even if they did, I do not think they’d want to spend that time waitin’ in your palace. : Just tell them to-- : I will not force them to do anythin’ against their will, old man! If you want to mend anythin’ between you, you should start by considerin’ wha’ others want before makin’ decisions for them! : I can propose the possibility to them, but when’ver they take you up on the invitation is up to them. : … : Very well. Just… let them know. : What about Ju-long? Do you not wish to make amends with your eldest grandson? : Alaric-sama, it’s best to-- : The only thing we share is a mutual hostility towards each other. There is nothing there to fix. : But he-- : I’d prefer if you stay out of my family matters, Alaric, they do not concern you! Gawain growls in the back of his throat, about to say something -- but Alaric stops him, instead reaching a tail tip across space to shake Wei’s hand. : You are correct; it is not my place to pry. Do let us know if you need any help in tracking down the Chanyu general, we would be happy to help. Wei eyes the offered tail dubiously, waiting a moment before taking it. : Yes, I knew you would be; it is your character flaw, after all, always throwing yourself into situations you do not belong… : (releasing the tail with a wry smirk) Then again, perhaps it is not a flaw after all… Enough talk, though, it is time I depart. : We’ll be in touch. Emperor and Shōgun shake hands -- an action that never would have occurred before the monster summons -- and with that, Wei-Guang walks away, boarding the ship to the exhausted cheers of his men. Sails unfurl, exposing the Gāng Tiě seal, and the ship sails off into the horizon, making the long journey back home. Those who’d come to see the Emperor leave stay to watch the ship depart. Katsumi is the first to leave, heading for her carriage to go back to the Shōgun’s palace, and Sho is about to follow her… until he notices Bál walk over to Alaric, his intent clear on his shaggy face. : (thinking) "Really, is now the best time for this discussion, Bál?" The Hariyama makes a quick decision, grabbing Gawain with a thick hand and pulling him aside, distracting the drake with tales of the harbor’s history. As Gawain listens to Sho, humoring the ‘mon (he HAD been willing to sacrifice himself for them, after all!), Yagami and Bon also take notice of Bál approaching Alaric, and both owl and frog listen carefully as their conversation begins. : Your people did som’ good here in Sazanami, Alaric. : Ah, thank you. Though it was only through the effort of everyone involved that we made it through -- not only my people, but yours and Sazanami’s as well. : Indeed. We were fortunate that the lead’rs of Sazanami were able to unite in the end. : Yes, it seems luck was on our side this time-- : (face darkening) Luck? You might be fortunate you were able to pull through this time, but you should nev’r rely on sheer luck for success. Lady Luck deserves nobody’s faith, for she’ll ditch ‘em in a heartbeat and leave ‘em to rot, on nobody’s side by her own! : ! : Uhm, my apologies, I meant no offense? : (fiery collar simmering) It doesn’t matt’r. I came to talk to you abou’ somethin’ else. Can I have a moment of your time? : Yes, of course-- : I must admit, I also have some questions to ask the leader of a guild we’ve heard so much about but never actually met. : I’m just one of its lead’rs -- but I’ll have more time to explain our systems to you later. : But first things first. I cannot help notice that Aether has had a habit of gettin’ involv’d in various situations throughout Avalon ev’r since you arrived and took th’ position as king. : Ah yes, unfortunately it is something we of course have noticed as well, due to us being dragged into things beyond our control. : (humming thoughtfully before adding) And you had no intention to ev’r stick your necks in… especially not after the events that transpired in the place you allegedly hailed from? : … I am not certain what you are asking of me, sir, but I assure you, I have no answers to offer you. : All I know is that our involvement might somehow be related to some prophecy the Lord of Artiphron and his oracle told me about, regarding-- : I know what that nonsense is abou’. I don’t trust some claim without knowin’ whether its source is to be trusted or no. (air-quoting viciously) “The gods told me” is not a good excuse for me. : Well, that is all I know, unfortunately. : And it keeps being brought up by various people across all nations during these “situations,” as you said, so I assume it has some relevance, whether we can see it or not. : Hmmph, the only thing I know is that when trouble is brewin’, you undeniably find a way to get yourselves involved. Ev’n if you so claim this is outta your control or desire, it still happens, an’ I aim to find out why. : (with a frustrated sigh) I agreed to give you some time to listen to what you had to tell me, but it seems I misunderstood your intentions. Finding your implications far from entertaining, I shall take my leave. : (huffing in annoyance) Hold it, ormr. : Excuse me? What did you just call me? : I should have known from the way you spoke to Lord Ryūjin, you have no respect for authority. In that case, I hate to remind you, but regardless of what you might think of me, I AM still King of Aether. : (taking a deep breath) Just listen, I-- : I’ve heard quite enough. : You bloody royals, I know it’s easy to step on your toes, even if you don’t HAVE ‘em, but stop makin’ premature assumptions! : YOU were the one that-- : What I was TRYIN’ to offer you was the guild’s assistance! : … What? : I know you’re not behind the things that have happ’ned on Avalon, and that you an’ your people were dragged into it by oth’rs for the most part. : Then why say all of that? : I was simply statin’ my reasons for wanting to help you. Your involvement in all matters is somethin’ that hasn’t gone unnoticed; you’ve made quite a name for yourself. : Gainin’ the attention of many ‘mons, good and bad. An’ regardless of how suspicious Aether’s role may appear to be, accordin’ to the reports from my agents, you’re not the enemy. : So… you wish to help us because we are not the enemy, yet seem to get pulled into the enemy’s plans? : You’re catchin’ on. Beside the many contacts the guild has, includin’ skilled members that could offer you assistance with day-to-day activities, we would also be able to offer your kingdom aid the moment it requires it, or help you when you’re inevitably caught into the enemy’s play again. : (thinking) Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence… : Gettin’ intel as soon as possible might bett’r our chances in combattin’ the problems presented to us and preventin’ them from gettin’ out of hand. : Like it did here, for instance. : I understand. So, what is your plan to accomplish this? : To build a guild headquat’rs in Aether’s capital, a base from which my people can operate. : And where you can keep an eye on us at all times… : I’ve had eyes on your kingdom for a long time now, Alaric -- but the time of observation has passed, now’s the time for action. : … : I’m sorry, but I will have to think about this. : You claim to know a great many things about us, Bál, but as I said before, besides some stories and the few of your members I’ve met, we know next to nothing about you personally, or your organization. I cannot make such a decision without knowing more. : That is understandable, but you do not have to worry abou’ that. I’m sure the queen will be able to fill you in once you return to Aether. : The queen? Tara?! : What does my wife have to do with this?! : Queen Tara has alre’dy agreed to my proposition. I received a letter wit’ word of her approval from my agents not long ago, I expect that construction on the base might even be underway. : But how? When did you do this? : Before I left for Sazanami, I contacted my agents in Aether to go to the queen and tell her abou’ our plans. My agents were very impress’d by her -- apparently she grill’d them quite a bit, wouldn’t agree to our plans without seein’ the sense behind it -- but I’m sure you knew that she was a shrewd negotiator, knowin’ her better than I. : Though, perhaps not since you’ve been gallivantin’ around Sazanami and who knows where else since you were married-- : Either way, she eventually agreed to my agents’ terms. : These agents, they’re the same you mentioned before -- and they’re within Aether? Since when have they been inside the capital? : Had them stationed as soon as I could, after news arrived of the sudden appearance of a king in the ruins of Old Aether’s capital. Alaric recoils, shifting away from the Fire type on reflex -- and that sound of scales scraping across the harbor finally draws Gawain’s attention away from Sho, the Charizard glaring at Bál as he stomps towards them, Sho close behind. : You did--? : Have you been spying on us for this long?! : (shrugging) You shouldn’t be so surprised. You’re naive, Alaric: you welcome all who know on your castle door an’ graciously extend citizenship to them, no matter their occupation. : The kind of reports I have heard from my agents tell me you have no idea what truly goes on behind the scenes in your kingdom, and havin’ met you, I am even more assured of this fact. : (finally reaching them) Now listen here, scruffy-- : (extending a hand out towards the Charizard) Calm yourself, Gawain-san. We are here to discuss our future plans in peace. : Tell that to HIM, he’s the one insulting my lord! : I don’t sugarcoat the truth, dragon. As I told your lord, you shall benefit from our cooperation more than our distance. The International Guild can offer you a great many things, and help your standin’ within Avalon. : I get the feeling you didn’t leave him much of a choice, now did you? : (with a heavy sigh) Gawain, you don’t need to do this, I can take care of it myself. : The queen and your advisor had already made the decision for you when I brought the topic to your lord. I expect the land is bein’ prepared as we speak, perhaps construction has alre’dy started. : Seems like the queen will do good for Aether, been quite capable in your absence. : … She is. : That is still no reason to bully us into accepting your “grand plan” for us, ya bleeding pain in the rear! : You’re captain of the Aetherian guard, so act like it. Calm yourself an’ be responsible. Someone that’s a leader and example to other knights should stand to lose his foul temper. : (from aside) Tch, blame that on his tendency to use alcohol to solve his problems. : (pointing at Bál) You think you’re so smart, figuring out the reasons behind our kingdom’s actions, but you don’t know shit about us! : And you -- (pointing at Bon) -- YOU can just shove that throwing knife of yours RIGHT up your--! : Gawain, STOP! : Tell me, are you intoxicated even now that you believe this escapade of yours to make such a ruckus abou’ my offer makes any sense, embarrassin’ both yourself and your lord and queen who, I remind you, has alre’dy agreed? : … But it doesn’t matter. I’ve said all I needed to say. I’ll meet you two at the meetin’ tomorrow; hopefully by then you’ve come to understand why Tara said yes to my offer of aid, Alaric. : Hold it, you can’t just leave, we’re not done here! : I am done, captain. It’s not my place to remind you of yours, but I’m sure Alaric will fill you in if he thinks you need to know our full conversation. Now, I have more people to speak to before tomorrow’s meetin’, so if you’ll excuse me. Before anyone can stop him, Bál walks away, trudging inland with Yagami flying after him. Gawain starts to follow him, cracking his knuckles as if preparing for a beat-down -- but Sho halts him with a large hand on his shoulder, subtly squeezing where his wing connects to his shoulder to pin him in place. : I do believe our time would be better spent with a conversation over tea. There is much I will need to brief the two of you on for the warlord’s meeting. : Oh yeah, cuz tea solves everything, doesn’t it old man? Pretty sure the only way firebutt over there will drink your tea is if you spike it. : … You have never been pleasant, Bon-san, but there is no further need for your harsh words. If you would like to join us, you may; we were going to go to Hoori-san’s palace, as it is nearby. : Huh, kinda weird thinking of that turtle as the new warlord of Nobuhide’s lands. : I do not think so. The Seiryu Province will do well under his command, and now that he has an assistant of his own, that will make the transition all the simpler. : Oh yes, I am glad Kaito got a good job so he can fix things between the Numa no Ha and the rest of Sazanami. : Yeah, he and the boy wonder will be a great team and whatever -- but I’ll pass on the tea. Later, losers. The Toxicroak shuffles away, kicking loose stones in his path, and Sho stares curiously after him a moment before turning his attention to Alaric and Gawain, ushering them towards Hoori’s palace with wide sweeps of his arms. : Pay him no mind, gentlemen. Let us go and prepare for the meeting.